The Watcher
by ilikegoo
Summary: An alternate telling of the Harry Potter series from the character you were never meant to notice.


So I thought I'd give something a go, an alternate telling of the Harry Potter series by a character you were never meant to notice…

 **Invisible**

My name is Bartholomew Jeremiah Cartwright III (you can call me Jem) and I was born in a small English town on the border of Wales in 1608, my father was deeply religious man and he was always suspicious of the strange abilities I demonstrated, it was only when I received a letter from a school named Hogwarts that we realised the truth. I was a wizard.

Of course to my deeply religious father this was the proof that I was an agent of satan and well, lets just say it appeared I never made it to the school on the 1st of September. My father like many other puritans would flee Britain the year after my murder on the Mayflower.

Except when I died I suddenly woke up floating and looking down at my father and my body, I was a spectre and as I soon learnt I could turn invisible! It was then I decided now that I was free of my father I would be free to attend the school, although I thought it best to stay hidden. Nobody would want to be friends with a spectre, but I could attend lessons and go to a place where there are people like me. The first year I was at the school I attended all the lessons, staying at the back and learning about a world I should've been apart of. It took me a few years to decide on house but I eventually settled on Gryffindor.

I would observe thousands of students during over the years, certain students have always stuck in my mind. In 1942 whilst trouble raged across the muggle world a young girl died at the school, killed by a mysterious beast, I heard the other spectres, or ghosts as the students call them, talk about the girl named Myrtle and the fact she was hiding in the bathroom. Myrtle was the first person at Hogwarts I revealed myself to, she was my first friend for 322 years. Myrtle agreed to keep my secret but soon left the school but not before telling me about the big yellow eyes that led to her death. She also pointed out a boy named Tom who would apparently hiss and spit at the taps in the bathroom. I would follow this Tom Riddle, he was a strange boy with strange ideas. The things I would hear about the boy named Tom in the coming years were deeply concerning, I would often share my concerns with Myrtle after she returned.

Professor Dumbledore was one of my favourite students to follow during his youth and I was glad when he became headmaster, although he did shock me once when I was observing him in his office working on one of his inventions and he asked "Are you going to reveal yourself or just hide there all day?" I was shocked I had not realised anyone could see me, so I came out of hiding "Good evening Professor Dumbledore."

"Well I believe it would only be fair if I knew your name." He looked at me with his piercing blue eyes.

"Bartholomew Jeremiah Cartwright III. People called me Jem." I was nervous other than Myrtle I didn't think anybody knew about me.

"How long have you been here Jem?"

"357 years, I was due to attend the school in the 1619 but died before I could begin. I chose to come to the school to learn and to be around those of my own kind." It felt good to tell someone my story

"None of the other ghosts have ever mentioned you. We list the castle ghosts you know, I have never seen a Jem Cartwright on that list." As Dumbledore said it, I could tell he thought there was more I was not saying.

"I was afraid. I stayed hidden, Myrtle knows I'm here." I admitted.

Dumbledore believed I should reveal myself to the other ghosts but respected my wishes to stay hidden. We would often have conversations about what I knew was going on in the castle, not many knew it but I was part of the reason he knew everything that was going on at his school.

It was my 362nd year in the school, the muggle year was 1981 when a portrait that had been empty for many months suddenly burst back into life.

"Professor Dumbledore sir!" The portrait exclaimed "Lord Voldemort has found the Potters!"

Lord Voldemort was the name Tom Riddle went by now, he had committed many atrocities over the years. Including it would seem killing Lily Evans and James Potter, who had married shortly after leaving the school. Lily Evans had a good soul and James, well James and his friends were always up to no good. I would follow them on adventures if I was particularly bored. The news that Lily and James were now dead seemed to distress Dumbledore as did the news that Sirius Black, the only Black in all my time at the school that had ever been sorted into Gryffindor, had killed Peter Pettigrew and was the one who betrayed his friends.

10 years after the deaths of Lily and James, Dumbledore sought me out for the first time in our many years of acquaintance. He found me by the lake watching the giant squid bask in the sunshine.

"Jem are you there?" Dumbledore asked, he looked around, there were students near by. Dumbledore knew I would not reveal myself in front of students. "Come to my office with me Jem."

I followed Dumbledore to his office, "I must ask a favour of you."

"Anything Professor Dumbledore." I owed Dumbledore a great deal, he had kept my secret for nearly 40 years.

"Do you remember Lily and James Potter?" He asked

"Yes sir, they were murdered by Tom Riddle." I had never called Tom, Lord Voldemort, it felt wrong.

"Their son Harry, he is to start the school in September. I'd like you to watch him for me."

 _ **TBC…**_

What do you think? Shall I continue?


End file.
